Sai was in his room playing a game.
Sai was working on making his own sudoku puzzle.
Sudoku is a challenging puzzle game featuring a 9 by 9 grid resembling a tic-tac-toe board. The objective is to fill the grid with numbers from 1 to 9, ensuring that each row, column, and smaller 3 by 3 sub-grid contains all the numbers exactly once.
Sai filled the numbers on the grid and basically made a blueprint with the answers.
Then he made a fresh sudoku grid and placed some of the blueprint sudoku numbers on a fresh sudoku grid.
Next Sai checked if it was solvable. He did this multiple times with less and less numbers.
From trial and error the more numbers he added to the fresh sudoku grid, the more solvable it became.
The less number he used on the fresh sudoku grid the more times he would make mistakes.
Slither crawled onto the bed, “Hey kid, what do you think your doing? Typically your practicing your martial arts or Magic Arts.”
“Good evening to you,” Sai stretched. “I am getting some rest. It is not going to kill me if I take one day off.”
‘Well fine. But it seems like a waste,” Slither said. “Do you want to go to the dungeon, blow off some steam? It might be therapeutic fighting against Horned Dogs.”
“I am getting a little bored,” Sai got up from the bed. “Sure, let's go explore the dungeon. Let me check my stats first. Blessing.”
Level 10 Title Hero Agility 15 Durability 155 Mana 3 Mind 3 Strength 9 Remaining Points 0 Gift Sour Apples
----
Sai was heading outside, he saw Erisenda carrying a basket full of laundry.
“Hello Erisenda, do you need any help?” Sai asked.
“Hello Hero, no need to help me,” Erisenda asked. “Are you prepared for the Lord Gathering?
“Lord Gathering, is it some kind of party?” Sai replied.
“The nobles arrive at the castle annually to give reports on their territory and in the evening there is a celebration. It is also used as the debut for young and new nobles,” Erisenda explained.
“Sounds... fun,” Sai said. “Are nobles good people?”
“The title of being a noble is more of a burden than it was in the previous generation,” Erisenda said solemnly.
“They're still jerks right.”
“Why don’t you judge them yourself.” Erisenda explained. “I’m sure you can understand them better.”
“Alright I will do that.”
----
Sai and Slither reached the dungeon. In Sai hand was a vial of poison which he unscrewed and formed an object that looked like a wooden steak but color red.
Stolen novel; please report.
It fit perfectly in Sai’s hand. “Poison Stake acquired.”
“Hmm, you've gotten better at making those,” Slither admitted.
“Yup, lets see what this bad boy can do,” Sai said as he journeyed deeper in the dungeon.
It wasn’t long until they encountered four Horned Dogs.
“Hello Doggys!” Sai waved his hands happily.
The Horned Dogs growled menacingly.
Sai effortlessly tossed the poison stake towards the Horned Dog, its trajectory true and accurate. The stake smoothly pierced through the closet Horned Dog's head, swiftly ending its threat without a struggle. The dog fell to the ground, lifeless and defeated.
The poison stake curved in midair and returned to Sai hand like a boomerang. Sai couldn't help but smile at the conveniences of magic. “Magic is awesome.”
As the remaining Horned Dog lunged at Sai with ferocity. Sai hurled the poison stake towards one of the dogs, extinguishing its life with a lethal strike.
Sai unleashed lightning fast punches, striking down both of the remaining Horned Dogs. His fists moved with expert precision and incredible speed, delivering powerful blows that swiftly ended their existence.
Sai caught the poison stake that returned to him.
“Easy peasy,” Sai said.
“Come along, let's go to the lower floors, this floor doesn’t have any challenges. Maybe you can even level up,” Slither said.
“Roger that,” Sai saluted.
Sai would slay exactly 84 Horned Dogs by the end of the day. Sadly he didn’t receive a single level up.
----
Sai was walking under the moonlight. He was enjoying the weather and the fresh breeze.
The moon in particular looked large today.
While Sai was enjoying the stroll, he spotted the Princess next to the pond.
“Why did I run into her,” Sai muttered. Sai laminated since he was having such a good and carefree day.
Sai tried to be stealthy and without making a sound try to walk away.
“Servant,” The Princess voice seems to travel through the air and make Sai's heart freeze. “Come over here.”
Sai had come to a realization that he has terrible. Terrible. TERRIBLE. Luck.
Sai moved toward the Princess and then he bowed his head. “Is there something you want?”
“Do you think this egg is pretty?” The Princess asked.
The Princess held an egg in her hands, adorned with pitch-black paint colors and silver swirls like a whirlpool pattern. Sai wouldn’t be surprised if the evil looking egg hatched a lovecraftian monster.
“Are you going to give that to the Duke?” Sai asked carefully.
Sai learned about the time-honored tradition from the minister. For a lady to offer an egg to a man, symbolizing her romantic affection and trust. The egg served as a promise, representing the fragility of her heart, and the nobleman's commitment to protect and cherish her.
The Princess gave a smile that made Sai want to run to the hills. “That’s correct. I want to make it perfect. Does it look pretty?”
Sai rechecked the egg. “Do you want the cruel truth or the sweet lie?”
“I will choose the truth. Does my egg look pretty?”
“No it doesn’t look pretty. It looks evil or some kind of monster will hatch from it.”
“I would like to see you do a better job!” The Princess snapback.
Sai noticed that the princess’s hands were coated in many paint colors. He deduces she must have quite a bit of time painting the egg. It wasn’t any Sai business, he truly wanted to leave this unfortunate encounter. “Can I go now Princess?”
“No,” The Princess placed the evil looking egg into a basket filled with other evil painted eggs siblings.
The Princess then took out a white egg and a paintbrush. “Give me feedback on how to make my egg look presentable.”
‘Am I really doing this,’ Sai asked himself. “Use a lighter palette. Don’t use black and silver on your egg. I suggest using light blue and yellow. Also don’t use swirling patterns, try to add flower design to the egg. Like a rose or a sunflower.”
The Princess grimly looked at the egg like she was going to battle.
With professional dexterity, the princess delicately held the egg, her nimble fingers gliding effortlessly across its surface. Her brush had summoned a smug of light blue paint and carefully applied a smooth, even coat, enveloping the egg in a serene hue reminiscent of a clear sky.
With unwavering focus, she drew a yellow rose that bloomed on the egg's surface, its petals meticulously rendered with precision and finesse. Each stroke captured the delicate beauty of the flower, creating a lifelike masterpiece that could easily be mistaken for a picture.
The final touch the princess adorned it with an intricate netting pattern, skillfully weaving the design around its crown and bottom of the egg.
When the Princess was done she gently exhaled a small flame, she dried the paint on the egg.
The Princess had completed her masterpiece and held up. “Does it look pretty now?” The Princess asks in a smug voice.
‘She fast,’ Sai blinked a few times. Looked at the egg and then at the princess. He then nodded his head slowly. “Yes, the egg looks perfect.”
Satisfied with the answer, the Princess gazed at the egg in a lovely expression.
Sai wanted to witness the Princess give the decorated egg to the Duke. He wondered what face the Duke would make and what his response would be.
Sai also wanted to leave and have dinner. Afterall he was hunting in a dungeon all day. “If that is all, I’ll be leaving now,” Sai said with a small bow.
Sai left the lovesick princess under the moon glare.